Novelty arm and leg band



Dec. 6, 1960 J. K. WEHRLI NOVELTY ARM AND LEG BAND Filed May 6, 1957 INVENTOR.

JEAN KNOCH WEHRLI ATTOR-NE 5 United States PatentG NOVELTY ARM AND LEG BAND Jean Knoch Wehrli, Santa Ana, Calif. (223 N. Ellsworth, Naperville, 11].)

Filed May 6, 1957, Ser. N0.657,106

3 Claims. (31. 2-411) The present invention relates to novelty arm or leg bands and more particularly concerns combination ornamental and sound producing devices of this kind.

It. is well known that children are fond of "sound-producing toys, especially of the type that emanate tinklin'g, bell-like, pleasant sounding tones. They also like to create more or less musical sounds. Bells holda special fascination for them.

In. practicing certain rhythmic movementssuch as in dances of various sorts, especially of the. group, ceremonial, or like type, some sort of sounding medium is desirable for sensory coordination of effort or timing, as. also on occasion to aiford entertainment value.

' Attractive to children, moreover, as articles of adornment are small bells or devices carrying such. bells or productive of. bell-like sounds.

An important object of the present invention, therefore, isto provide a .deviceof soun'd producing character adapted to be worn on the person and more particularly on and about an arm or leg in order to result in predetermined sounds incident to movement of the arm or leg to which applied.

Another object of the invention is to provide abellcarrying arm or leg band.

A further object of the invention is to provide a sound producing arm or leg band which is easily applied or removed and is self-retaining.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bell-carrying arm or leg band especially suitable for use by juveniles.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide as an articleof adornment an elastic arm or leg band which is ornamental as well as sound-producing.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of an arm or leg band embodying features of the invention;

Figure 2 is a more or less schematic view showing how the device is adapted to be worn on a persons arm;

Figure 3 shows how the device may be worn on a persons leg;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary exploded assembly view of various parts utilized in the arm or leg band assembly;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of a portion of the arm or leg band demonstrating the elasticity of the assembly and the relationship of elements when stretched to about its elastic limit;

Figure 6 is a similar fragmentary top plan view but showing the assembly in a relaxed or contracted condition;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary vertical sectional detail view taken substantially on the line VII-VII of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary outer side elevational view of a modified construction of arm or leg band in relagged condition; and

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Figure 9 is an outer side elevational view similar to Figure 8 but showing the relationship of the components of the modified arm or leg band in stretched condition.

An arm or leg band 10 as shown in Figure 1 is constructed and arranged to be applied on and about a persons arm A as in Figure 2, or upon or about a persons leg L as in Figure 3. Although there is a wide choice as to just how the device is to be worn on the arm or leg, in a preferred manner of application it may be worn above the elbow on the arm and above the knee on the leg. The device may, however, be worn as a wristlet' or as an anklet, if desired.

In a desirable construction of the band 10 an annular elastic member 11 carries on its outer perimeter a decorative trim 12, and over the trim and anchored to the elastic" member is a series of peripherally spaced sound producing members such as small. bells 13 which may conveniently be of the minature sleigh bell type providing a slotted hollow container within which is carried a loose clapper ortpercussion piece 14, in each instance (Fig; 4*). The construction and relationship of the parts is such that the band can be stretched. substantially in order to be easily applied to the selected limb of the wearer and will then contractto fit about the limb with sufl-lcient tension to hold its position.

While the elastic annulus 11 may be constructed as a continuous or unbroken elastic ring, excellent results have been obtained by making the annulus 11; from strip elastic webbing wherein a longitudinally yieldable fabric webbing body carries therein a plurality of longitudinally extending elastic strands of rubber or rubber-like material. A particular advantage of using such. elastic strip webbing for the body annulus 11. of the ring resides in the ease with which rings of different sizes can be produced simply by cutting predetermined lengthsof the strip material as supplied in mill lengths, reels or rolls and then securing the opposite ends together as for example by means of stitching 15 across the overlapped ends.

With respect to the decorative trim 12 various mate rials may be used, but preferably in strip form for convenience in handling and attachment to the body annulus 11. A knit or crocheted type of decorative strip material is desirable having longitudinal stretchability and which may be possessed of resilience or elasticity but not necessarily so since it is carried. upon the elastic body annulus 11. In a knitted or crocheted strip, the trim 12 may comprise natural or synthetic fiber yarn or thread of any preferred ornamental color or combination of colors. In the form shown in Figure l, the decorative trim strip 12 includes a body portion coextensive with the strip from which the annulus 11 is made and secured thereto in suitable manner as by means of a longitudinal line of stitching 17. In this instance, the trim strip 12 has extending from one side a series of fringe extensions 18 which may project beyond the lower edge of the body annulus 11 while the opposite or upper margin of the decorative trim strip 12 extends beyond the upper edge of the annulus 11.

A desirable ornamental efiect of the trim strip 12 is obtained by sewing the same onto the elastic carrying body annulus 11 while both strips are in linear condition and with the elastic strip at least slightly stretched so that when the stretching tension is released the material of the decorative trim strip 12 will be puckered or slightly crowded to give a full-bodied, dense attractive appearance. Another advantage resides in that the band or ring 10 can be stretched to a substantial extent or increased diameter without straining or damaging the ornamental trim 12.

In applying the ornamental trim or backing elastic strip 11,

strip 12 to the body the body strip may be stretched llis then relaxed and allowed to contract to itsvnormal condition as shown in Figure 6, the attachment stitches 17 are, of course, also drawn together or cramped into reduced length to thereby draw the trim strip 12 into uniformly puckered condition as shown in Figure 6. By virtue of the crowding together of the stitches 17 in the relaxed condition of the backing or body member 11, strain upon the stitches is avoided when the ring or band is stretched even to a substantial extent.

Preferably after the ornamental trim 12 has been secured to the elastic body strip 11, attachment of the bells 13 is effected. While this may be effected by some sort of staple or other bendable device or anchoring medium, satisfactory results have been attained by means of string or cord or thread loops 19 (Figs. 1, 4 and 7) looped through integral attachment eye loops 20 on the backs of the respective bells and passing through the ornamental trim strip 12 and the body elastic strip 11 and anchored thereto. Through this arrangement, the bells 13 appear to be carried by the ornamental trim 12 but are actually supported by the generally more durable and form sustaining elastic body member 11 and serve to assist in holding the trim 12 in place. There may be as many of the bells 13 as preferred, in the form shown in Figure 1 there being four of the bells equidistantly spaced about the perimeter.

In Figures 8 and 9 is shown a modification wherein an elastic body or backing and supporting strip 11' has attached thereto in suitable manner a decorative trim strip 21 by means such as stitching 22. In this instance the trim strip 21 comprises a suitable thin material of more or less solid web form such as paper, crepe paper, rubber, rubber substitute, pliable plastic, or like strip provided with a solid body portion that is stitched to the backing elastic member 11 and may if preferred be subdivided by partial transverse slitting through the lower margin into a continuous series of fringes 23.

As shown in Figure 9, the trim strip 21 may be attached by sewing to the elastic supportingbody strip 11 while the latter is stretched as indicated by the directional arrows so that when the body strip 11' is relaxed to contract as shown by the directional arrows in Figure 8, the ornamental trim strip 21 will be uniformly buckled or crowded, into more or less shirred appearance similarly as in Figures 1 and 6. Sound producing devices such as bells similar to the bells 13 may be applied to the assembly of backing elastic strip 11' and ornamental trim 21 in any preferred number or location. Moreover, the assembly may be made in a more or less continuous strip and then severed into suitable lengths and the ends overlapped and secured together similarly as described in connection with Figure 1.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an ornamental and sound producing elastic arm and leg band, a strip of longitudinally stretchable elastic material providing a closed circle body structure of predetermined perimeter for the band, the outer face of the band having ornamental material thereon, a bell having sound producing means therein and a base portion with an integral loop projecting rearwardly, and a connecting loop secured to said elastic body structure of the band through said ornamental material and looped through said bell loop and thereby securing the bell to the band in superimposed relation to said ornamental material, said ornamental material comprising a longitudinally extensible body strip secured adjacent to one margin of the elastic body structure of the band and projecting beyond such margin and having a series of closely related fringes projecting across the remainder of the elastic body structure of the band and extending at their ends beyond the opposite margin of the band.

2. In an ornamental and sound producing elastic arm and leg band as defined in claim 1, said ornamental material comprising a knitted or crocheted strip secured by sewing the same onto the body structure of the band in a puckered or slightly crowded condition to afford extensibility for the body strip of the ornamental material.

3. In an ornamental and sound producing elastic arm and leg band as defined in claim 1, said ornamental material comprising a more or less solid web form in the body strip thereof and with the fringes comprising partial transverse slitting through a marginal portion of the web.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 215,559 Bevin May 20, 1879 1,410,533 Platt Mar. 21, 1922 1,548,617 La Belle Aug. 4, 1925 1,584,476 Schalow May 11, 1926 1,791,175 Tomlinson Feb. 3, 1931 1,838,688 Lendresse Dec. 29, 1931 1,970,129 Martinez Aug. 14, 1934 2,132,616 Hardie Oct. 11, 1938 2,502,393 Sladeck Mar. 28, 1950 2,621,327 Amoroso Dec. 16, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 7,368 Great Britain of 1915 273,579 Great Britain July 7, 1927 662,056 Germany July 4, 1938 

